


Nara Family Fun

by clarkjoekent



Series: Grandpa Shikaku AU [2]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Grandpa Shikaku, Minor Bug Mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27613781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarkjoekent/pseuds/clarkjoekent
Summary: Shikaku gets the kids for the day while their parents are in and out of meetings.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nara Shikadai & Nara Shikaku, Nara Shikaku & Shinki, Nara Shikaku/Nara Yoshino, Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Series: Grandpa Shikaku AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2083575
Comments: 4
Kudos: 99





	Nara Family Fun

**Author's Note:**

> I love Grandpa Shikaku dealing with Shikadai and Shinki. I wish we got to see more Yoshino in Boruto. I'm just glad that we got to see Grandpa Hisahi instead :) /s

“So you use shadows like Uncle Shikamaru?” Shinki was standing far away from Shikaku, practically whispering his question. 

“Better than him.” Shikaku wasn’t used to the way Shinki refused to interact with him but he figured it was just an adjustment. Some days he appreciated it, like today. Shikadai decided to use his poor old Grandfather as a jungle gym. 

“I can believe that.” Shinki went back to building his Sand Fortress. Shikaku had asked Gaara if his son was into playing outside. Shikadai hated it at first, just like his father, until Shikaku put a sandpit out in the backyard. If both of the kids liked playing outside it’ll make it easier on his old bones. 

“I’m glad I made that impression.” Shikaku laughed as he pulled his grandson off his leg. He walked over and placed a squirming Shikadai in the sand. The betrayal on his face made Shikaku snort, hiding the full laughter until later. “Come on and play with your cousin, you barely see him.” Shikadai huffed and then asked Shinki what he was building. 

The older Nara walked back to his spot on the hammock and watched the kids play. Temari had asked him to watch both kids while Gaara was in a meeting with Kakashi. He would never say no and promptly took both kids off her hands. He saw Shinki as his grandchild more lately. Shikaku’s relationship with Temari and Kankuro is more fatherly and even Gaara comes to him for advice or just to play a game of shogi. 

“Grandpa, what bug is this?” Shikadai interrupted his thoughts by throwing the hairiest caterpillar at him. Trying not to hit it right back in his grandson’s face, Shikaku caught the bug and placed it on the ground. 

“I don’t know. You can always ask your teacher, he’s good with bugs.” Shikaku resisted the bone deep shiver running through him at having to touch the bug. 

“I will forget.”

“You can always draw it?” Shinki suggested. Shikadai’s eyes lit up and he bolted into the house to find the paper and crayons Yoshino had bought him. He used to bring a sketchbook everywhere but then he forgot it in Suna and threw a fit. They have had a surplus of paper and coloring utensils since then. 

Shinki pretended not to watch Shikadai draw the bug until he was sitting next to him asking about why he chose the colors he did. 

“I can’t remember what colors it had so I made them up. Shino sensei won’t care.” 

“I thought bugs have special colors to tell if they were poisonous?” Shinki scrunched his face and turned to where Shikaku put the caterpillar. “You got poisoned.” He looked directly at Shikaku. 

“No, we don’t have any poisonous bugs here. Shino came here last week to inspect my plants after something was eating it. He found every bug in the yard. He would’ve told me if there was a bad one.” Shikaku hoped the Aburame would but, he did only ask about the bugs that could eat his plants. 

“Still we should find it and get the right color pattern.” Shinki stood up, walked to the spot, and then knelt very carefully. Shikadai followed and soon a curious Shikaku. 

When they found the caterpillar, neither boy wanted to hold it. Shikaku swallowed his disgust and picked up for them. He survived two wars and he could survive this bug. He put it in a sand bucket and then let the boys investigate it. 

“You got some of the colors right.” Shinki sounded impressed. 

“I knew there was some brown.” Shikadai nodded like he was a bug and color expert. He looked so much like his father it made Shikaku laugh. 

Once the bug was properly colored they asked Shikaku to take care of the bug and he did so gladly. 

“You have to keep me updated Shikadai.” Shikaku was only a little worried about the varying degrees of poison the caterpillar had. 

The boys decided they were hungry after Shikaku dumped the bug outside of the Nara fence. He was going to make something for them but Shikadai asked for ramen and that sealed the deal. Two against one. 

With a sigh he made sure the boys were dressed and out the door. He kept an eye on them, the last thing he wanted to do was lose two toddlers in the streets of Konoha, let alone the Kazekage’s son. 

Ichiraku expanded their dining area after it was destroyed in the Pein battle. Shikaku was wary about the large space. He had to worry about kidnappers, plenty of Konoha Shinobi still angry at Suna, for petty reasons, but the older Nara had to be on his guard. It was why he was against leaving the house but he couldn’t tell the kids no. It was his job to spoil them stupid and have his son and Gaara deal with the consequences. 

“I can eat 100 bowls Grandpa, I hope you have the money.” Shikadai sat in the booth swinging his legs in the process. Shinki sat opposite and Shikaku pulled in next to him. 

“I’m not paying. I thought you were.” Shikaku acted put off but the little Nara just giggled. 

“Grandpa, I don’t have a job, or a wallet.” 

“I guess I’ll pick the tab up this time, but you’ll have the next one right?” 

“Sure Grandpa.” Shikadai nodded and acted like he was older than he was. “After I do my taxes we can go out and I’ll treat.” 

Shikaku let out a hearty laugh, “You keep me on my toes every day.” 

Shikadai nodded, still giggling. 

Shinki watched the exchange and then pulled on Shikaku’s sleeve. “Do kids have to do taxes here?” 

“No, he’s just being a brat, like his father.” 

Shinki frowned and then looked at the menu. The older Nara let them choose whatever they wanted. It would be late until Gaara and Shikamaru would leave the meeting. He wanted them full and sleeping by the time the sun set. 

They finished eating - Shikadai was about 98 and a half bowls short of his original prediction - and they left the restaurant. Both kids were full and happy. 

Shikadai was walking ahead while Shikaku held Shinki’s hand. “Do you see my aunt in him?” Shinki looked up at the Nara with a furrowed brow. 

“I do. Usually when we practice the Nara clan jutsu. Shikadai is more persistent and resilient to laziness. It has to come from Temari.” Shikaku chuckled. 

“I don’t see her often but that sounds like her.” Shinki nodded in agreeance and Shikaku got a memory of Gaara doing the same thing during the war meeting. Like father like son it seemed. 

They almost got home without incident. Shikaku noticed someone following them as they left the restaurant and he made sure to have Shinki by his side the whole way home. Unfortunately they had to walk in a low traffic zone and the shinobi decided it was the best place to attack. 

He underestimated Shikaku, but then again they all do. 

Shikaku let his shadows handle it while he picked Shinki and Shikadai up. It was easier to keep track of them when they were in his arms. 

“Whoa, you don’t have to sign?” Shinki watched the Black Spider Lily jutsu handle the potential kidnapper, swinging the man around like a rag doll. 

“No I did, with my other hand. Once you get skilled, you can use one hand.” Shikaku set them down, away from the man but close enough for him to watch them. “Now stay here while I figure this guy out.” Both boys nodded in awe as he turned to interrogate the man who threatened his family. 

He was a Suna nin which made Shikaku raise an eyebrow. He had sent a clone to Ibiki and Inoichi who came by promptly to grab the man. 

“Nice, you did all the torture for us. He’ll spill in no time.” Ibiki leaned in to talk to Shikaku, not wanting to scare the kids more than he thought they were. The shinobi was hanging upside down in the air, terrified. 

“I thought I retired.” Shikaku shook his head. 

“You will never really retire. We need you too much.” Inoichi laughed. “Ino thinks I should retire too but with the village still in need of old men like us.” 

“Old men like you, don’t drag me into your age.” Shikaku waved his best friend off with a snicker and then went back to the kids. 

“That was so cool!” Shikadai was bouncing off the walls now, no point in an early bedtime. Shikaku lifted the kids back into his arms and carried them home. 

“Who were they after?” Shinki continued to watch Inoichi and Ibiki as they walked away. 

“Probably me, I have many enemies.” Once Shikaku made it to the house he was able to let his guard down again. His home was warded and safe. He noticed Yoshino’s chakra was somewhere in the house, Shikaku can give the kids to her while. She was always able to get the toddlers to sleep. 

“Really?” Shinki didn’t seem to believe him. Shikaku only nodded. 

“There you are!” Yoshino walked into the main room and smiled. “Shikamaru stopped by to check on you but he said you weren’t home. The meeting ended and they all went out to eat.” Yoshino gave Shikadai a hug and asked Shinki if he wanted one. Shinki was still tentative with affection but he accepted her gesture. 

“So you will see your parents in two hours.” Shikaku sat on the couch and the boys were taken away by Yoshino for a bath and bed. It was already 8 at night and once Gaara and Kakashi get on a tangent it’ll take Temari and Shikamaru all their energy to pull them apart. 

Shikaku however, was thoroughly exhausted and angry. He didn’t like the fact someone tried to take Shinki away and he definitely didn’t want Shinki to find out he was the target. The kid was sharp even at 6 years old. 

“You look dead.” Yoshino sat next to him on the couch after she put the boys to bed. 

“Someone wanted Shinki.” 

“He told me they were after you.” Yoshino put her head on his shoulder and all the anger he felt slipped away. 

“Had to lie. He’s smart as hell. How was your day?” Shikaku changed the subject and let Yoshino talk about her time at the Konoha orphanage. Inoichi’s wife Sumire and Yoshino run it now and they have to figure out future plans for the newest building. Kakashi didn’t want to approve the current ones until they looked at it. There were a few mistakes and they wanted to pull Yamato and have him draw the plans up. 

“Sounds like a mess.” 

“It is but I’d do anything for those kids.” Yoshino sighed and sat up. “You touched a bug?” 

“It was disgusting, I was close to crying.” Shikaku laughed. Yoshino rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek. 

“Looks like you’d do anything for our kids too.” She smiled at him fondly. The door opened before she could kiss him again. Shikamaru and Temari wandered in, looking just as exhausted. 

“Bad day?” Shikaku asked his son and daughter in law as they too sat down on the couch. 

“You could say that.” Gaara was standing in the doorway, still hesitant on entering their house without permission. Shikaku waved him in and he sat on the chair opposite of the group. “We have to find the rest of that Shinobi cell.” 

“There’s more?” Yoshino looked concerned. 

“There will always be someone trying to take Shinki away.” Temari sighed. “We have him trained to spot people but this guy was sneaky.” 

“Kankuro is in charge of that cell now. Hopefully he will take care of it swiftly.” Gaara looked at Shikaku. “How was my son?” 

“He was well behaved like always. He got me to pick up a disgusting bug and he wanted to eat ramen with Shikadai.” 

Gaara looked pleased with the response. “You know he calls you Grandfather back at home.” 

“Grandfather Nara.” Temari corrects her brother with a smile. 

Shikaku wasn’t going to let this go to his head. He was not going to succumb to the pride he felt in his chest. Maybe just a little. 

“He calls Yoshino Grandmother too.” Temari added. 

“Shikadai called Kakashi Grandpa last week and I swear I saw a tear. Boruto just calls him Old Man.” Shikamaru laughed. 

“I guess any old person gets the title.” Shikaku shook his head. “It is sweet though.” 

“Well between our generation and Kakashi’s we didn’t get grandparents.” Yoshino made a point. This war ended and hopefully peace will continue for generations to come, allowing children to have their parents by their side instead of on the battlefield. 

“Can we sleep here tonight?” Shikamaru asked, he looked like he could sleep on the spot. Their house was a few feet away but the exhaustion set in and there was no point in denying them.

“I figured you would. I have rooms set up for you.” Yoshino stood up and led Shikamaru and Temari to their bedroom. 

Gaara sat still, observing Shikaku. Just like Shinki did all day. “Thank you for watching and protecting Shinki.” 

“I’d watch him any day. He’s family.” Shikaku stretched and sighed when his back cracked just right. 

Gaara looked down the hallway as if he thought he saw someone. When he was satisfied he turned back to the older Nara. “We’re family.” 

Shikaku chuckled and nodded. “We are.” 

In the morning Yoshino made everyone pancakes before everyone left. Shinki seemed like he wanted to stay longer but decided against it. He hugged Temari and Shikamaru goodbye but he fist bumped Shikadai, something the kid must’ve taught him. 

“See ya around.” Shikadai was still stuffing his face with food. 

“Yeah I want to color some more bugs with you.” Shinki nodded and then turned to Yoshino and Shikaku. “Goodbye Grandmother and Grandfather. I had fun.” Shinki smiled and Shikaku had to hold tears back for the second time during the visit. 

**Author's Note:**

> "Nara-Sama after what your grandson showed me I need to go into your backyard and make sure the caterpillar didn't have babies." Shino didn't look nervous, just persistent. 
> 
> Shikaku blinked in disbelief. "Babies?" 
> 
> "What you have is a very poisonous insect and possible infestation. I need to remove any others from your property for your and your family's safety." Shino nodded and looked over Shikaku's shoulder to the open backdoor. 
> 
> Shikaku briefly felt his soul leave his body. He could hear Shinki from the kitchen table. 
> 
> "Told you, you were poisoned."


End file.
